SB2C-4 bomb loading

[ernihold]

Hi, could anybody please help me to find any visual documentation (photo / picture / drawing / video) how bombs were loaded to SB2C?
Thanks
erni

 

[Barrett]

Google "Helldiver loading bombs" and you should find something like this.

 

[NVSMITH]

-Something I've always been curious about: Early dive bombers such as the Ju87, SBC, SBD and SB2U used trapeze devices to swing their bombload clear of the propellor as they dove on their target. Aircraft such as the SB2C and A-31/35 had internal bomb bays. How did the bombs clear the aircraft? Did the bombers use a much shallower angle during the dive or was there some less obvious mechanism replacing the trapeze?

 

[Wurger]

It looks like a similar mechanism was installed in the bomb bay. Here the bomb cradle that has dropped forward from the open bomb bay, releasing it's payload.

 

[Wurger]

Also the Vengeance had them in the bomb bay ..

the pic source: LEADING AIRCRAFTMAN (LAC) I. N. ANDREWS OF WILLIAMTOWN, NSW, AND LAC B. CLARKE OF PORTLAND, NSW, ...

the source: Vultee Vengeance bombbay, interior...

 

[NVSMITH]

It looks like a similar mechanism was installed in the bomb bay. Here the bomb cradle that has dropped forward from the open bomb bay, releasing it's payload.

View attachment 629503

-Thanks mucho. I've never seen a photo or cutaway illustrating that. How did they handle multiple bombs? Separate cradles?

 

[Wurger]

Not sure fully but I would say yes, depending on the bomb calibre there were one or two separate cradles attached.

 

[NVSMITH]

Not sure fully but I would say yes, depending on the bomb calibre there were one or two separate cradles attached.

-Thanks. Given that the bomb load of the Vengeance was supposed to be 2,000 lbs I'd like to see the cradle attachment for 2x1,000lb or 4x500lb bombs. If the diameter of the 500lb and 1,000lb bombs was roughly equal I imagine the side by side cradles in the photo you provided would work but what would the sudden loss of 1,000lbs, even so close to the centerline of the aircraft have been like? The photo shows two bombs side by side: would they have been dropped simultaneously or could the bomber make, or be forced to make, a second pass?
-Either way, the aircrew had plenty of guts.

 

[Wurger]

I haven't found any info on the cradles for smaller bombs. As memo serves the typical bombload for the Vengeance was ...

A-31, A-35A - up to 1500 lbs (675 kg) of bombs, two 500lb bombs in internal bay and two 250lb bombs under wings
A-35B - up to 2000 lbs (900 kg) of bombs, two 500lb bombs in internal bay and two 500lb bombs under wings

So, as a result the two cradles in the bomb bay were enough. I guess, if the bombs of the 1000lb and 2000lb were going to be used, the single cradle could be attached only . But these bombs weren't racked very often IMHO.

The bombload for the Vengeance ...

the source: Vultee Vengeance (documented request)